Electric steering device



J. A. MELLON 1,787,320

ELECTRIC STEERING DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ////////l////////////7//A/./7///////////l///// Dec. 30, 14930. J. A. MELLoN ELECTRIC STEERING DEVICE Filed Sept. 5. 192e :s Sheets-shut 2 J LZ fwezzv I Dec. su, wao. J. A. MELLON 1,187,320

ELECTRIC STEERING DEVICE Filedlsept. 5, 192s .s 'shets-sneet 5 Eil Patented Dec. 30,k 1930 UNITED lSTATES PATENroFFicE JAMES AUGUSTINE MELLON, E EHILADELIIIIA,` PENNSYINANT'A,` AssIGNoB 'ro AMERICAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A corc-v PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA Application filed September 5, 1928. Serial No. 304,017.

. This invention relates to improvements in electric steering devices, and the principal.

object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which shall be exceptionally compact in form, efficient and substantially noiseless in operation, and which shall have certain structural advantages hereinafter set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the stated type in which substantially all of the working parts shall be, completely enclosed within a housing of suitable form. v Y

In the attached drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a machine made in accordance with my invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a section on the liney 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the drum end of the machine with the drum and end plate removed Fig. 4 isa more or less diagrammatic'side elevational view `illustrating a typical as d sembly, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the machine and associated steering apparatus.

With reference to the drawings, the machine comprises a substantially barrel-shaped main housing 1 having a pedestal 2. Secured I" i; to one end of the housing 1 is a sub-housing 3 which constitutes in effect an extension of the main housing and closes that end of the main housing to which it is secured. 4The interior of the main housing 1 is'separated from the interior of the sub-housing 3 by the interior end wall 4 of the latter. Secured in and closing the other end of the housing 1 is an end member 5, this member beingr secured to an annular flange 6 on the said housing located inwardly of the extremity of the housing. The end member 5 projects outwardly and has a gudgeon 7 which constitutes a fixed bearing for a rotary grooved drum 8, this drum comprising at its base i? a flange 9 which projects intothe end of the housing and which carries an internal gear 10 by means of which the drum is operated,`

as hereinafter set forth; The drum is secured on the gudgeon 7 vby means in the present instance of a plate 11, which is secured to the extremity of the gudgeon and overlaps the outer end of the hub portion' of the druin.

' The casing also comprisesan interior partition 12 to which is secured by means of bolts 13 an end mounted electric motor 14, said motor alsobeing supported vatits rear end upon a `brac-lretfl extendingupwardly from the floorof the housing. The armature shaft 16 of the motor. projects through the partition l2 and carries a pinion 17 which through a trainl of spur gearing including `a gear and pinion 18-19,'journaled on a stud 2O inthe partition 12, and a gearkand pinion 21-22 ycna stud 23 in the end member 5, is connected with a gear 24 on a shaft 25, this shaft being journaled in bearings 26, 27 and 28 located respectivelyv in the partition 12, the fiange 6, and the inner wall 4 of the sub-housing 3. At one end of this shaft 25 is a pinionk29 which meshes vwith the internal gear 1Q and completes the operative connection between the drum 8 and the motor 14.v The motor 14 is provided with a suitable brake 30. 4

It will be noted that the lower part of the gear 24 operates in a well 31 between the .partition 12 and the flange 6 which is adapted to contain oil and which affords a means for lubricating the spur' gear :transmission between the motor and the drum, The bearing 27iof the shaft 25 is also provided at the top with a cup 32, from which lubricant passes to the'shaftjournal.

The sub-housing y3 encloses the motor control and follow-up mechanism.' This mechanisin` comprises a shaft 33 j ournaled atone end in the outer wall 34V of the sub-housing 3and at the opposite end in a bevel pinion 35, this pinion being journaled in the inner shaft is a second and oppositely' arranged bevel'pinion 36 which with the bevel pinion 35 and with a third pinion 37, which meshes with both the pinionsy 35 and 36 and which is journaled on a yoke 38 pivotally mounted on the shaft 33, constitutes adifferential device whose function will be hereinafter described. The yoke 38' carries Contact elements 39 which with a series of relativelyv fixedcontacts 40 constitute a set of switches controlling the operation of the motor 14. At its outer end, the shaft 33 carries a gear 41 which through intervening gears 42 is connected with a pinion 43 upon a stub shaft 44 journaled in the outer wall of the subcasing 3, and this shaft as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is adapted to carry on its outer end a grooved drum 45. The pinion 43 is also connected with a pinion 46 on a screw shaft 47 journaled at 48, 48 in the bottom of the sub-housing, and this shaft carries a rider nut 49 which, when the shaft 47 is rotated, is moved in one direction or the other, depending upon the direction of rotation. The movement of the rider 49 is limited by set screws 50, 50 in the bottom of the sub-housing. The elements 47, 49 and 50 constitute stops limiting the rotation of the stub shaft 44 in both directions.

The bevel pinion 35 carries at the inner end and within the main housing 1 Va gear 51 which through an intervening train of gears 52 is connected with a pinion 53 upon the end of the shaft whereby the said bevel pinion is operatively connected with the motor 14. It will be noted that the motor control mechanism is detachable as a unit with the sub-housing.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the steering machine as described above is adapted to be operatively connected with a steering wheel 54, this connection being made in the present instance through the drum 45, a cable 55 connected with said drum and also with a grooved drum 56 at the bottom of the steering f gears in a-rotative movement of the shaft 33,

and through the dierential mechanism results in oscillation of the yoke 38 and Contact elements 40. This movement of the yoke through the diiferential is made possible by the fact that the bevel pinion 35 forming a part of the dilerential is temporarily iixed, the motor 14 being inoperative. The movement of the switch elements 39 in relation to the contact elements results in an actuation o the motor 14 which actuates the steering drum 8 in an amount proportionate to the movement of the wheel 54, and this actuation of the motor 14 also results through the shaft 25 and intervening train of gears in a rotative movement of the bevel pinion 35, Which results in a return of the movable switch elements 39 to their original or neutral position. The direction of movement of the steering wheel 54 determines the direction of rotation of the motor 14, and the limit screws are adjusted to prevent an overtravel of the Wheel 54 in either direction.

It will be apparent that the aforedescribed construction atliords an extremely compact machine in which the motorand major por-- tion of the transmission and control meccanisms are completely enclosed. The machine is highly eiiicient in operation, and by reason of thecomplete enclosure of the operating elements is practically noiseless.

I claim:

1. An electric steering machine comprising a substantially barrel-shaped main housing, a sub-housing constituting a closure for one end oi the main housing, an end member closing the other end of the main housing, a grooved drum journaled for rotation on said end member, an electric motor mounted in said main housing'and operatively connected with said grooved drum, and motor control mechanism mounted in said sub-housing and also operatively connected with the drum.

2. 1n a steering` machine, the combination with a main housing, a sub-housing secured to one end of the main housing, a rotary drum mounted at the other end of the main housing, a motor mounted in said main housing and operatively connected with the drum, motor control mechanism mounted in said sub-housing and removable 'from said main housing with the sub-housing as a unit, and means operatively connecting the said control mechanism with the drinn.

3. A steering machine comprising a substantially barrel-shaped main housing, a suhhousing constituting a closure for one end of the main housing, an end member secured in and closing the other end of the main housing, a rotary drum mounted at the lastn amed end of the main housing, a motor mounted and completely enclosed within the main housing and operatively connected with the drum, and motor control devices mounted in the sub-housing and also operatively connected with the drum.

4. A steering' machine comprising a sub stantially cylindrical open-ended housing member, a sub-housing constituting a closure for one end of said housing-- member, an end member secured in and closing the other end of said housing member', a drum journaled on said end member, a motor mounted and conipletely enclosed within said housing, transmission spur gearing connecting the motor with the said drum, and motor control mechanism mounted in said sub-housing and comprising elements mechanically connected with said drum.

5. In a steering machine, the combination with an open-ended main housing member having a. partition, a motor secured to said partition, an end member secured .in and closing one end of the main housing member, a rotary drum mounted at the same end oi? said housing, transmission mechanism supported on said partition and. on said housing end member and connecting kthe said drum with the motor, a sub-housing constituting a closure for the other end of said main house ing member, and motor control mechanism mounted in said sub-housing and operatively connected with the motor.

6. In a steering machine, the combination with an open-ended substantially barrelshaped main housing member, of a sub-housing constituting a closure for one end of said member, an end plate secured in and closing the other end of said member, a rotary drum journaled on said end plate and comprising an inwardly projecting flange, an internal gear secured in said iange, a shaft journaled in said housing, a motor mounted in the housing, transmission mechanism operatively connecting the motor with said shaft, motor control mechanism mounted in said sub-housing and operatively connected with said shaft and with the motor,

and a pinion on said shaft meshing Vwith said internal gear.

7. A steering machlne comprising a substantially barrel-shaped main housing member; an end plate secured in and closingone end of said housing member, a portion of said main housing overhanging said end member; a drum journaled on said end member and having a flange extending into the overhanging end of said housing member; an internal gear secured to the inner face of said flange; a shaft journaled in the housing and having one end projecting n through said end member; a pinion on the projecting end of said shaftmeshing with said internal gear; a motor mounted in ysaid housing; gearing connecting the motor with sai-d shaft; a sub-housing secured in and closing the opposite end of the housing member from said drum; and gearing operatively connecting said control mechanism with said shaft. p

8. In a steering machine, the combination with an open-ended housing member; of a sub-housing secured to and closing one end of said housing member; an end plate securedV in and closing Vthe otherend of said housing member; a drum mounted at the latter end of the housing; a motor mounted within the housing; a shaft journaled in the housing and geared to said drum; gearing connecting the shaft with the motor; motor control mechanism in said sub-housing, said control mechanism including switches for control-` ling the operation of said motor, switchactuating mechanism, and manual control means for said mechanism; and means operatively connecting said mechanism ywith the said shaft.

9. In a steering machine, the combination with an open-ended housing member of a sub-housing secured to and closing one end of said housing member; an end plate secured in and closing the other end of said housin member; a drum mounted on the latter en trol mechanism including switches for con` trolling the operation of said motor, switchactuating mechanism, and manual control means for said mechanism; means operative- Y ly connecting said mechanism with the said shaft; and adjustable means for limiting the movement of said manual actuating means.

JAMES AUGUSTINE MELLON. 

